


Footnotes

by riane_b13



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Good Draco Malfoy, Head Boy Draco Malfoy, Head Girl Hermione Granger, Hogwarts Eighth Year, POV Draco Malfoy, Sassy Hermione Granger, note taking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25862914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riane_b13/pseuds/riane_b13
Summary: Sliding the note on top of her paper, she paused her own note-taking to read it. Frowning at the note she turned toward him with a glare, hissing out a soft.“I like to be prepared Malfoy, better too many notes than not enough.”Turning back to her notes she continued scribbling, if not even more intensely than before.The grin that had fallen across Draco’s face was like a weight had been lifted. He would steal back a piece of himself with this. Behind the privacy of a note to Granger, he would get to be the real him. And so it began.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 22
Kudos: 207





	Footnotes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gildedshivers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gildedshivers/gifts).



> Thanks to the lovely  Gildedshivers Please check out her Amazing Art Work!!!

Draco’s eighth year was turning into a lesson in boredom. _Keep your head down,_ his mother said. J _ust study and take your owls_ , his parole officer said. I _t’s the last year we aren’t their bosses anymore,_ Theo joked with him as they both finished their paperwork to take control of their family estates. 

Lucius, for all of his conniving ways, only got five years but Nott Sr. received life. Either way, both boys were barely legal and in charge of millions of galleons and hundreds of jobs. So Draco would try and keep his head down and his name out of any papers the entire year. The only problem was that Draco Malfoy was the biggest drama queen in Hogwarts.

Draco hadn’t gone a month without being on the Weekly Quaffle since he was a first year. He would make the sports pages for quidditch, the headmaster's list for top scores in potions, or Astronomy. He’s even made gossip columns for moments when Pansy and he were on the rocks. He obviously made the front page with his return to Hogwarts that fall, though it was shared with Granger.

The paper wasn’t the only thing that Draco was sharing with Granger. McGonagall made them Head Boy and Girl. What a farce that was. The old bat probably needed an excuse to give them private quarters and to have an extra reason to keep eyes on him. 

Head Boys were expected to have excellent grades, so he couldn’t slack off without an absurd amount of dawn detentions. Head Boys had to do a shite ton of service and school spirit projects so he had to pretend like he actually wanted to do more than take his bloody N.E.W.T.S and graduate. Not to mention that Granger literally was in all of his classes so McGonagall had her own private lapdog to inform him the moment he didn’t dot the Is in his class notes. 

Draco was tired of being watched. But if he dared act like his actual self the death threats would turn into a prison summons and class would turn into Azkaban. So, Draco bid his time. He let Granger control the Prefect meetings. He agreed to coach but not be _on_ the Slytherin team, and he tried his best to not make even a mention in the school paper. 

Needless to say that by October Draco was nearing insanity-inducing levels of boredom. Groaning in frustration as to why he was in Astronomy when he could have passed the N.E.W.T.S for it in 5th year he glanced over to his permanent seat partner. 

Professor Sinistra sometimes went onto the tangents of the various gods and goddesses that the constellations were named off of and while that was useful if the witch or wizard in question practiced deity work, it was worth fuck all during exams. Yet here Hermione Granger was scribbling down every last rant as if the placement of the black woman’s pauses were to be on the N.E.W.T.S. Chuckling to himself Draco scribbled out a note to Granger.

_Granger-_

_You do know the myth of Chiron has nothing to do with the exam right? But if you’re going for swot of the year you have my vote._

_-DM_

Sliding the note on top of her paper, she paused her own note-taking to read it. Frowning at the note she turned toward him with a glare, hissing out a soft. 

“I like to be prepared Malfoy, better too many notes than not enough.” 

Turning back to her notes she continued scribbling, if not even more intensely than before. 

The grin that had fallen across Draco’s face was like a weight had been lifted. He would steal back a piece of himself with this. Behind the privacy of a note to Granger, he would get to be the real him. And so it began.

He started the next morning in Charms

_Granger-_

_20 knuts Finnegan falls asleep in History of Magic._

_-DM_

Her huff of indignation sent him into a properly cheery mood.

His next note was during said History of Magic, Seamus didn’t last 30 minutes without falling asleep on his desk, and Draco swore he could’ve seen a small smile on her face. 

Hermione had tied her hair up with her wand and in the midday light, Draco could see the flecks of gold in her brown locks. It seems wild and chaotic like a Lion’s mane, but strangely not unattractive like how it did when she was younger.

_Granger-_

_Is your hair sentient, or is it merely possessed?_

_-From the Desk of Lord Draco L. Malfoy_

Draco felt that the official question deserved his formal title. She did need to know he was serious after all. Apparently, she wasn’t aware of his intent as he was ignored for the rest of the session.

Potions were something that actually required at least part of his attention so no notes were to be passed. They were assigned to create a Night of Living Draught for midterms together and so he was waiting for her obligatory study schedule to be thrust upon him. 

Wednesday surpassed without mention.

Thursday was uncomfortably silent. 

By Friday Draco was marginally worried. They would need nearly a week to brew the potion and Draco had no intention of working through the annual Slytherin Halloween party the next Saturday. 

He tried to break the ice in Transfiguration.

_Granger-_

_Are you sure your stockings are regulation? I think they're rather scandalous don't you think?_

_-DM_

It was not well received. 

Back in History of Magic Draco decided on brevity. 

_Granger quit ignoring me._

He considered her rolling her eyes a small win for him. He had set to construct another note when the bell was signaled for the class to end. Unfortunately, they both now had a break and moved off to lunch. 

Draco was half listening to Theo discuss his advanced Herbology lesson with Longbottom and how professor Sprout was giving the two boys the option of helping teach the first years twice a week instead of homework for the year. If only Sinestra would let him do that. He’d certainly tutored enough people in the subject to be qualified. 

Draco was on his fifth edition of a note to get Granger’s attention and had settled on one that was assertive, brief, and contained action. It was full of proof and written neatly. _Swots liked that sort of thing_ he thought. 

He hated being late. Granger always liked sitting in the middle and there just wasn’t enough legroom in this classroom for him to sit there. He had started making it a habit to get there before her so that he could sit at the aisle. 

Shuffling into his seat Draco laughed that they had moved on to a different constellation and it was that of the Lupus constellation. That was the name of his great-grandfather and Grandfather Cygnus would quiz him constantly about it before he passed. 

Not even bothering to open his book Draco slyly passed the note directly into her hand. He made sure he wasn’t looking at her when she grasped it but he just knew what her reaction would be.

_Hermione-_

_Meet me in front of the potions classrooms tonight after the prefect meeting. I’ve secured a private room for us to brew in as Night of the Living Draught prefers a cold damp climate. I know grades are important to you so I want us to get a head start on brewing in case any unforeseen circumstances arise._

_Looking forward to knowing who will get top marks for once._

_Draco-_

Draco was leaning against the door after the prefect meeting. He knew that Granger often stayed late to chat with the Weasley girl, but he had no doubts that she would be there. Pulling an apple out of his robe pocket Draco went to bite into it when he saw her approach.

“I got your note,” Hermione spoke with a smirk on her face, holding up the piece of paper.

“Just the one?” Draco responded with a wink and walked closer to her, tilting his head down to look her in the eyes.

“Terribly sorry, I’ve been getting so much rubbish mail lately this is the first tolerable thing I’ve read in ages.” Hermoine retorted back immediately. Draco was taken aback by the sass the little Gryffindor could show. 

"My my Granger, I like the way you bite. Let’s go. Our reservation is in room 5." Draco gestured with a nod of his head before walking off. 

“Just remember your safe words Malfoy,” Hermione replied without missing a beat.

Draco laughed openly at that and felt more like himself than he had in months. Slowing down his stride so she could walk beside him he said, 

“I think I like you, Granger. Such a pity you’re a swotty little Gryffindor.”

“Such a pity you’re a spoiled little Slytherin, but I suppose we’ll have to deal with that for the sake of our education.” Hermione mused. 

Draco smiled at her before returning his attention to the hallway.

_Perhaps we will Granger, Perhaps we will._


End file.
